Bobbin-clutching means for rotatable spindles.



APPLIOATIN FILED JAN.1B, 1909.

Patented. May 25, `1909. .y

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mviTED/STATES PATENT oEEioE yeEoRGE,w.KNIGHT,foF norEnALE,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIeNoE To DRAPER COMPANY,- or -HorEnAiEMASSACHUSETTS, AcosroRATroN or MAINE.

f no. 923,126. I

kTo attachent 'it may confiera; Be it known that I, GEORGE W. KNIGHT, a

BoBBIN-,CLUTQHING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE `sPnvnLEs.

i citizen of the United States, and resident of `Hopedale, ,county ofVlforcester, State of .Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovementinBobbinClutchingMeans for Rotatable Spindles, :of which the followingde- ,.scription', [in connectionfwith the accompanying drawing, ris aspecification, like char- I acters on the drawing representing likeparts.

kThis yinvention relates to yb'cbbin-clu tching means of the rvtypewhereink the clutching members are arranged ,syminetricallyey about thespinning or iotheirotatable spindle and by the action ofcentrifugalforce engage and hold thev bobbin securelyiin place upon the spindletobe rotated therewith. n

In *my vpresent invention the clutching members are bodily movableoutwardly from the spindle when the-latter is running at speed, and Ihave also made provision for a tipping or rccking movement of suchmembers on.theirlowerends,',means being provided to effect such rockingmovement positively and equally ,forallgoi the clutching members whenthelbobbin is appliedtc the spindle."A 4,

The 'objectief `this con/struction and arrangement is toproperly centerthe bobbin action uponV the clutching members is not on the'spindle, forsometimesthe centrifugal sufficient" to",k eiiiect ythe requisitecentering,

,f particularly with unbalanced loads, and at such times the operationofthe device is not .I so elicient as it shouldbe.

In the presentl embodiment ,of my invention the lowerends oftheclutching members are shaped topresent outturned feet, upon which themembers rock, andi 'Find that the added weight thus yprovided at thelower ends of the,memberslisv also advantageous in y im roving thelclutching action upon the bo bin;y The feet are loosely inserted in acovered guard or container-,and by means of projections'on the ,ieet,projecting upward throughthe top ofthelcontainer, the head of thebobbinfacts to tip'or rock the clutchf ing members, movingtheir upperends outward positivelyfand,equally to thereby eiiect the centeringolithe'bobbin,y

`The various novel `features of myinvention will be fully describedinthe subjoined s ecification and purticularlypointed out in v t efollowingclaims. `i

Figure "lis a side elevationof a rotatable Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

.y e Application led January 18, 1909. Serial No. 472,999.

spindle having bobbin-clutching means embodying my present invention,the lower or head end of a bobbin being shown in section in operativeposition on the spindle. Fig. 2 is a part elevation and verticaldiametrical section on the line 2 2, Fig. l, to more clearly Show thestructure. Fig. 3 is ahori zontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2,look-v ing down, the bobbin being omitted and the cover or top of thecontainer being partly broken out. Fig. 4l is a similar view but withthe clutching members and the cover of the guard or container removed.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the clutching members, detached.

As herein shown my invention is applied to a rotatable spindle A havingan attached whirl B provided with an upturned sleeve B connecting itwith the spindle, the head B2 of the whirl being enlarged and providedwith an upturned annular flange or wall B3, to form a cup-like containeror guard for the lower ends of the clutching members, as will appearhereinafter.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the bottom of the container is provided withsymmetrically arranged recesses or sockets l, three beinfr shown, andpreferably elongated in radiazl lines from the center of the spindle.The container is covered or inclosed by a cap or cover 2 which slips onoutside the wall B3 and is held in place thereon by a pin 3, Fig. 2, thecover having a central circular opening 4 of suilicient diametertoreceive loosely, the bodies of the clutching members and permit bodilyradial moveinentthereof as well as a rocking movement.

A clutching member is shown separately in Fig. 5 and comprises anelongated body 5 segmental in cross-section and longitudinally conveXedor curved at its upper end or head 6, on the interior of which is anupturned `projection 7 which is engaged by the depending flange 8 of acollar 9 fast on the spindle, as

shown in Fig. 2, the coperationof the `flange 1pc with the projections 7of the several clutching members limiting outward movement thereof attheir upper ends. Y

Three of the clutching members are herein shown arranged symmetricallyaround the 105 soSA clined upwardly and outwardly from its 111,0

inner edge, as at 11. As shown in Fig. 2 the clutching members arevertically supported by the inner edges of :the feet, which rest on thebottom of the container or guard, and the beveling of the feet permitsthe members to rock or tip on such inner edges of the feet, as will beapparent, while the members as a whole have a limited outward bodilymovement with relation to the spindle. When the spindle is running freethe centrifugal force throws the clutching members out ward, themovement at their heads being limited by the liange 9 and projections 7,and the lower ends of said members are limited in such movement by theedge of the circular opening 4 in the cover 2, the feet being inclosedwithin the container by such cover.

In order to maintain the clutching members properly separated from eachother and to effect their rotation by and with the spindle I providepins 12, driven through the feet 10, the lower ends of the pins loosely.entering the sockets 1, see Fig. 2, while their ulpper ends passthrough preferably radial s ots 18 in the cover 2, and when the spindleis bare the upper ends project above the upper surface of the cover, inposition to be .engaged by the head C of the bobbin C,

Figs. 1 and 2, when applied to the spindle. When the bobbin is appliedit is pushed down over the clutching members and its end strikes theprojecting ends of the pins 12 and presses the latter downward, rockingthe clutching members equally and simultaneously and causing their heads6 to press uniformly against the wall of the chamber CX, therebycentering the bobbin with re- The pins are preferably of such lengththat their upper ends will lie flush with the top of the cover 2, seeFig. 2, when the bobbin is pushed down onto said cover, which latterthen serves as a bobbin rest.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen th at a slight clearance is leftbetween the bottom of the socket 1 and the lower end of the pin 12 whenthe-clutching members are rocked,

to prevent any hindrance to the rocking movement, and also leaving theclutching members free to move outward bodily under the iniiuence ofcentrifugal action.

In actual practice I find that the operation c of the device hereindescribed is very erlicient, inasmuch as the bobbin-centering feature,which is of great value, does not interfere with thecentrifugally-controlled clutching action of the loose members upon thebobbin, so that the latter is positively and accurately centered and atthe same time held in proper position to rotate by and with the bobbinby centrifugal action. The container not only protects and incloses thefeet of the clutching members, preventing any possibility of injury tothe hands of the attendant, but it also serves as a housing to looselyreceive the feet, and prevents the .entrance of lint or lluff.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new and `desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1 The combination, with a rotatable spindle,vof a plurality of .centrifugally-acting bobbin-clutching membersmounted upon it and bodily rotatable therewith, each member having atits lower end an outturned foot upon which the member is adapted torock, an inclosing container in which the feet are sup orted and adaptedto rock and move radiailJ means coperating with the clutching membersnear their upper ends to limit outward movement thereof, and means torock said members upon their feet and force their upper ends outwardwhen a bobbin is applied to the spindle, to center the bobbin thereupon.

2. The combination, with a rotatable spindle, of a plurality ofcentrifugally-acting bobbin-clutching members mounted upon it and bodilyrotatable therewith, each member being adapted to rock upon its lowerend, means cooperating with the inner portions of said members at theirupper ends to limit outward movement thereof, an in closed support forthe lower ends of the clutching members, and me-ans to rock said memberspositively and force their upper ends outward by the application of abobbin to the spindle.

3. The combination, with a rotatable spindle, of a plurality ofcentrifugally-acting bobbin-clutching members mounted thereon andadapted to rock upon their lower ends and also to move bodily in radialdirections, and upturned means on the lower ends of said members toengage the end of the bobbin when applied to the spindle and effectthereby rocking movement of the clutching members, to cause the same toact equally and uniformly u on the bobbin and center it with relation tot ie spindle.

4. The combination, with a rotatable spindle, of a plurality ofcentrifugally-acting bobbin-clutching members mounted thereon and bodilymovable in radial directions, each member having an outturned footoutwardly and upwardly beveled on its under face, an inclosi'ngcontainer or guard in which the feet are movable radially and also canrock, and upturned projections on the feet adapted to be engaged anddepressed by the bobbin when ap lied to the spindle, to therebyrock theclutc ring members and press theirupper ends outward to internallyengage and center the bobbin.

5. The combination, with a rotatable spindle, of a plurality ofcentrifugall f-acting bobbin-clutching members mounte thereon andbod-ily movable in radial directions, each member having an outturnedfoot upon the inner edge of which the member rocks, a con- 13o f tainerloosely inclosing the feet and having radial sockets in its bottom andcorrespond- `ringo eninfrs in its to and ins on the feet if projectinginto the sockets to separate the clutching members and passing upthrough the openings in the top oi" the container, to

be engaged by the end of' a bobbin when ap- 6.' The combinationwith arotatable spindie, of a plurality ofcentrifugally-aotingbobbin-clutching members mounted thereon and each having an outturnedfoot on its lower y* end, a cup-like container loosely inclosing thefeet and fixedly mounted on the spindle, depending projections on thefeet to enter sockets formed in the bottom of the container, to separatethe clutching` members, and means cooperating with the innerfaces ofsaid members near their upper ends to limit outward movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. CAFFEY, E. D. OsGooD.

